New Find: Spain 1966 (73) Proof 50 Centimos Doubled Die Obverse

Good evening!

As I mentioned here before with my post about a Spanish 1957 (73) Proof 5 Pesetas with a strong die clash (at least a triple clash from what I can see), I recently purchased a group of Spanish Proof and Mint Sets on vacation (as part of a box/bulk purchase that contained "nothing of any value.") Inside the box I found Proof Sets from 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977 (2) and 1979 (4 of them.) Mintages for the early sets are as low as 23k for the 1974 set, with the 1973 coming in a close second at 25k and the 1972 set at 30k. So, I was excited to say the least.

As I started going through the sets, I noticed a few interesting points:

1) The Bad News: ALL the sets were packaged by the Royal Spanish Mint in PVC folders - which is not good. All the coins inside have been exposed to PVC contaminants for around 50 years now, depending on the year, and some of the aluminum pieces (including the 1974 50 Centimos, the best date) showed oxidation effects. Poor preservation of the coins inside was such an issue that the Krause Manual states:

"These coins generally suffer from oxidation and the values given are for perfect proof specimens."

Here are some photos of the 1972 Proof Set packaging:







2) More Bad News: The 1972 Proof Set did not include the 50 Centimos or 5 Pesetas, with these coins being replaced by 1973 versions of the same denomination. Bummer - now I don't technically have a complete 1972 Proof Set.

3) The Good News: After proper conservation, which I have to say was for the most part pretty successful (apart from that 1974 50 Centimos, which is beyond repair), I have to say that most of the coins look fairly nice under the circumstances. Not all pieces have cameo contrast, but for the most part the larger copper nickel pieces (25 and 50 Pesetas) still look good enough to keep - especially considering the low mintages.

4) The Consolation Prize: I started taking a look at the coins before putting them into archival safe flips, and I noticed that the two coins that had been substituted for the missing 1972 Proofs (the 50 Centimos and 5 Pesetas) were actually interesting in their own way. As mentioned above, the 5 Pesetas has a pretty strong die clash (of the obverse lettering) in the fields on the reverse, just under the coat of arms. Sweet. I'll take it!

Even more interesting was the 1966 (73) Proof 50 Centimos, which shows a strong doubled die obverse of the lettering surrounding the portrait of Francisco Franco, starting around 4 o'clock (with the letter G.) and ending around 10 o'clock (with the A in FRANCO.) The doubling is strongest around the date, stars, and the first half of FRANCISCO.

And now, without further delay, here is the whole coin:



And here is a closeup of the strongest doubling, with a duplicate of that image rotated upside down (so the lettering of FRANCISCO is a bit easier to see for our brains):





The doubling was so strong on the stars (which contain the dates) that it was a bit difficult to tell if the coin was a doubled 73 or a 73/72. Now, I tried searching online for another example of this die variety but was unable to do so, so I can't quite be sure if it's just a garden variety DDO or if it's a 73/72 overdate.

I did check my other 1973 Proof Set 50 Centimos, and it is NOT a doubled die.

I wonder if it's a matter of low mintage (only 25k pieces were made in total), or a matter that so many coins were ruined by the packaging that they weren't even checked, or maybe a case that the book value of the coin (Krause lists it at $3.50) is so low that no one really paid any attention - combined with what I've been told is a general disinterest in die varieties among world coin collectors.

If anyone else has a Spanish 1973 (or 1972) Proof Set, I'd appreciate it if you could take a quick peek to check whether your 50 Centimos is a DDO, or if you have the same substitution issue I have with my set.

If anyone is familiar with this die variety (in other words, I'm not the first to "discover" it - I'd also love to hear from you.

I'm also kind of curious if a TPG like NGC or ANACS would attribute the variety. I know it might not be technically "worth it" financially (due to the otherwise low value of the coin) to have it graded, and it's not like the coin is going to grade PF70, either - but if it's a new discovery, might be something fun to have on the label.

(In case anyone else was wondering, I also received fifteen other Spanish mint sets ranging from 1976-1984 in the box. Most seem to have been souvenirs for the soccer World Cup, and there is a lot of variety in folder color between the years. And yes, again with the PVC. I'm not too bent out of shape about it, as I sold other sets from the group to get my money back - so these sets are essentially free.)

Thanks, I hope this was a fun read, and have a great evening!

 

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OK, I have to admit, I only skimmed your writing, but found it both interesting and consoling. I have handled many Spanish mint sets, and have recently met a mint employee who was there in the late 70s-early 80s. The thing was a shitshow apparently... and the mint oscillated between being top notch, and the epitomy of corruption. Although I have never handled doubled dies, it would not surprise me if they occurred. The sets that I had previously tended to be mixed both in terms of quality and dates... perhaps a sign of the inconsistent leadership...

 

Well, I did my best to make it a bit more detailed than a "here's a picture of a coin I found" - and I'd love to hear any insights you had while looking through your sets. I have pretty much gone through the early proof sets (1972-1975) and the 1977/1979 sets are in sealed blister packs...but I have yet to poke through the mint sets I received. I'd especially like to know if there are any varieties I should be looking out for, any mintage figures, price guides, etc. I've basically only seen a few examples of these World Cup souvenir sets online for sale for somewhere between $6-10 each.

 

Heya,

Probably better to message me, cause these are fairly broad concerns. You can message me through here, and we can talk more specifically.

 

The proof sets sound like fun. Did you give the PVC coins an
acetone bath before placing them into the new flips?

 

Yes, they were properly conserved. Would hate to put a PVC contaminated coin into a fresh flip and watch it turn to green goo on me

 

I'm having a little trouble following this, so if you'll forgive me for asking, is this where you're seeing a possible 3/2 overdate?

 

Were these single or multiple-squeeze hubbings, do you know?

 

It's mostly how it looks in hand - just a bit difficult to tell. I sincerely doubt it is a 73/72, just a regular DDO. You know how your eyes play tricks...

 

@eddiespin From what I understand, multiple for sets, but the practice was inconsistent, which is why you can get genuinely PL coins out of sets, and other times, they resemble circulation strikes. Coins without PVC damage, and PL devices find substantial premiums.

 

But there’s where you were referring to, that 73 on the star, that’s what I meant. I didn’t even see the number at first. I was wondering where you were looking.

 

Pretty erratic, then. OK, thanks. I guess the coins can be expected to come out a little funny for it, too.

 

Yes, the date that is stamped (incuse) into the right star. It’s actually really confusing in hand haha

 

Just a quick update (since I have some new information):

I don't have the grades yet for this coin (submission is taking forever) but I do have confirmation that NGC has attributed the variety as a doubled die obverse.